Pelvic ganglia
Ganglia pelvica
Definition
Pelvic ganglia refer to aggregations of neuronal cell bodies which are situated within the pelvic plexus. The ganglia contain cell bodies of both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons and provide autonomic motor innervation to the urogenital organs.
Please note that the pelvic plexus receives parasympathetic innervation via the pelvic splanchnic nerves, which are branches of ventral rami of (2nd to 4th) sacral spinal nerves. Whereas, the sympathetic innervation arrives via the sacral splanchnic nerves, which are branches of sacral sympathetic trunk ganglia.
The preganglionic parasympathetic neuronal fibers arise from the 2nd to 4th sacral segments of the spinal cord, whereas, the preganglionic sympathetics arise from the lateral gray horns of upper lumbar (or maybe lower thoracic) spinal segments. These parasympathetic and sympathetic neurons channelize via the pelvic and sacral splanchnic nerves, respectively, to reach the pelvic plexus where they synapse with the pelvic ganglia. Thereupon, the post-ganglionic neurons are distributed to various urogenital organs, such as, uterus, uterine tube, vaginal , ovary and external urogenital structures.
References
Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2023 IMAIOS.
Keast, J.R. (2006). Plasticity of pelvic autonomic ganglia and urogenital innervation. Int Rev Cytol. 248:141-208. doi: 10.1016/S0074-7696(06)48003-7.
Standring, S. and Gray, H. (2016). ‘Chapter 77: Female Reproductive System’ in Gray’s anatomy The anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. (41st ed.) New York: Elsevier, pp. 1294.e1 and Table 77.2.
